Prison officials attacked

Department of Correctional Services officials are now receiving managment training to assist them in coping with the increasing stress of dealing with large volumes of prisoners. A warder at an East London Prison keeps a close eye on prisoners. 241006
Picture: Steve Lawrence

Port Elizabeth -Three warders were stabbed and wounded at St Albans prison, near Port Elizabeth, on Tuesday, an official said.

Breakfast was being served to the prisoners when two of them left the queue and attacked officials with sharpened objects, Eastern Cape correctional services spokesman Zama Feni said.

They suffered minor cuts to the forehead and were taken to a local hospital in a stable condition.

The two inmates would face internal disciplinary hearings and be criminally charged. He said the situation at the prison was under control.

“Our specially-trained security team members have been brought into the centre to manage the situation.”

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union expressed concern about the attack.

“The department needs to get to the bottom of this problem as soon as possible before officers are killed by inmates,” spokeswoman Theto Mahlakoana said.

“Popcru pleads with community members to stop arming inmates as this works against the work put into maintaining peace inside prisons,” she said. - Sapa